Macspur said:
JMacMan said:
cse said:
JMacMan said:
.
At last I have kit that serves the needs of this predominately classical music lover, and with no audio foo or manufacturer attiude required for the total enjoyment thereof.
Call me an very, very happy, ex-audiophile..
JB :cheers:
I would be very interested in knowing what you bought, as I only listen to classical as well and find I get very little good advice from the HIFI industry/shops as well.
Hi CSE
It's B&O kit - a TV which doubles as a surround sound processor/preamp, and has an fully active speakar array on board which can do double duty as the centre channel in an AV context, the active Beolab 9 speakers plug into it and the mains for their signal and power supply respectively.
Sources include a Sony Bluray player for movies and SACD, and for CD's I'm slowiy ripping all my collection to computer HD, and streaming from there to an Apple TV3 connected to the TV via HDMI. This will allow me to put 1,000+ CD's away in the hall cupboard for safe keeping, rather than out in multiple storage racks in the lounge, and the sound quality is as good as any CD player that I have heard at any price, inluding my own Sony ES models from my previous system.
B&O is usually sniffed at by Audiophiles, who perceive it to be made for an allegedly 'lifestyle' market (I've never quite got the handle on this lifestyle comment, other than an audiophile put down of anything that looks nice as well as sounds good - surely good sound must mean all sorts of compromises to ones lifestyle, including putting up with quirky and fiddly gear to be considered 'serious' HiFi - ..lol) and possibly because it is active, it removes pretty much all of the add on accessories and tweaks beloved of both audiophiles and the retail HiFi industry.
True, it's quite expensive, and likely therefore to be the domain of the rich, but not necessarily very knowledgeable HiFi 'Buff', but also therein lies it's appeal to folks such as me who have been caught up in the whole HiFi separates audiophile scene over many years, and simply had more than enough of the marketing games, audiophile foo, and pseudo science practicised by audiophiles, manufacturers and the retail scene alike, and especially the attitude of some manufacturers where their approach to system builiding or their products is the 'right' one, and everyone else is 'wrong'.
B&O step right away from that sort of patronising audiophile arrogance, and for this classical music lover, are a delight to deal with as a company, and deliver a product of quality such as to last a lifetime.
JB
As long as you're happy, that's the main thing.
Absolutely, and surely that's the main thing for most of us?
Looking at your sig, I could be very happy also with the Accuphase etc - a simply splendid amplifier - and whilst I recognise, respect and indeed have been there for many decades as regards the separates mixing and matching approach to HiFi system building, it's not one for me anymore speaking personally and with respect, as I've grown tired of playing about trying to 'tune' a system at an amateur, retail level, by mixing and matching components to try and obtain a suitable result.
You may even get better sound - perhaps - but I would think different, rather than better in any objective sense, for similar or less money, - but not with the fiddle free, plug and play aspect of the B&O kit.
Some audiophiles like to look down their noses at B&O - I was one of them in my paid up Flat Earth, Naim owning days, for which I bought all new kit, but am much happier overall with the B&O solution - I'd have to say that of course!
But coming back to being happy with what we have - how hard is that?
Why is it that manufacturers and salespeople within the industry, and sometimes enthusiasts seek to belittle others choices, meantime suggesting ways of 'improving' things. Are they desperate to sell, insecure and needing validation of their own choices or what?
I once had a acquaintance visit, who owned Audio Research kit amongst other things, and proceeded to sit in my lounge and tell me how my then Naim system was 'crap' etc, and how it could all so easily be bettered. Maybe he thought he was helping; I just thought him rude and opinionated, and never invited him again - and he never actually heard the system either - just opinion garnered from reading reviews etc, etc, repeated as if it were provable fact..
I've never made a post anywhere, on any forum criticising AVI products, yet the courtesy has not been returned, as I have been told by one particular owner, who was in turn backed by the manufacturer, that they too will better my B&O's.
Naturally, no objective measurements or Blind ABX's have been made, no, - absolutely nothing so objective and scientific - just so called informed opinon from certain quarters is considered enough to bag a product.
I don't mind people having understandable biases, and thinking what they like in terms of better, worse etc, when discussing kit, but why the need apart from the pressure to sell, or insecurity, to denigrate and belittle other peoples choices? Certainly I have little doubt that If I went into a pub, and proceeded to bag someone for their taste and choices in cars, or clothes, girlfriend/boyfriend/wife etc, I'd likely be carried out on a stretcher, so why all the willy waving, one upmanship games, and snide put downs of others choices on internet HiFi forums?
Personally, I find this sort of behaviour and comment incredibly rude, arrogant and patronising, and it is one of the major reasons why, despite being interested in kit and technology per se, that I will have nothing to do in a commercial buying sense from so called audiophile companies and manufacturers that have 'attitude', atypically found in the past with the Linn/Naim Flat Earth Mantra, and the 'Your'e nobody without a Naim" advertising slogan etc that was used to promote their products.
I'm pretty sure most of us are happy in the main with our choices of kit, and certainly don't need manufacturers and retailers being rude and dismissive or our choices to try and drum up business.
It's part of what I detest about the so called hi end HiFi scene, and another reason why I'm very happy with the move into the B&O world re the customer and total ownership experience - it's light years away from what I've experienced elsewhere in the near 40 years I've been involved in this hobby, and thank goodness for that - it's a huge relief to not be caught up in that silly scene anymore.
:cheers:
JB
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